The present invention relates to an occupant restraint apparatus including an airbag that inflates toward the front of an occupant and an inflatable seatbelt having at least an inflatable shoulder belt section.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-170948 discloses an occupant restraint apparatus for restraining an occupant when a vehicle or the like collides. This apparatus includes an airbag that inflates toward the front of the occupant and an inflatable seatbelt (airbelt) having an inflatable shoulder belt section.
In the occupant restraint apparatus according to the above-mentioned publication, when the vehicle collides at a relatively low velocity, neither the airbag nor the airbelt is inflated and the airbelt functions simply as a seatbelt that restrains the occupant in the seat.
When the vehicle collides at a medium velocity, the shoulder belt section of the airbelt is inflated along the front side of the occupant's body so that the inflated shoulder belt section receives the occupant and absorbs the impact placed on the occupant. In this case, the airbag is not inflated.
When the vehicle collides at a relatively high velocity, the shoulder belt section is inflated along the front side of the occupant's body and the airbag is inflated toward the front of the occupant. The inflated shoulder belt section and the inflated airbag both receive the occupant and absorb the impact placed on the occupant.